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Requesting Letters of Recommendations and Building Network Relationships with Faculty

Join Dr. Allen E. Lipscomb, PsyD, LCSW for an informative session on the importance of letters of recommendation and how to establish networking relationships with faculty. Learn tips and strategies for securing great letters of recommendation and building meaningful connections with professors.

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Requesting Letters of Recommendations and Building Network Relationships with Faculty

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  1. Requesting Letters of Recommendations and Building Network Relationships with Faculty Friday, May11th Presented by: Dr. Allen E. Lipscomb, PsyD, LCSW

  2. Agenda • Overview of letters of recommendation • Good vs. great letters of recommendation • Tips for getting great letters • Tips on how to form network relationships with faculty • Q&A

  3. Letters of Recommendations

  4. Purpose of letters of rec.

  5. Informed Recommendations

  6. Levels of Confidence Four levels of confidence: • 1) Strongly recommend (writer is very confident of the applicant’s ability); • 2) Recommend (writer is confident); • 3) Recommend with reservations (writer is somewhat confident, but has specific areas of doubt); • 4) Do not recommend (writer does not believe in applicant’s ability to succeed). • Applicants should not ask writers who cannot support them at the first two levels of confidence to write letters on their behalf.

  7. What kind of letters are there?

  8. Sometimes…

  9. Sample Letters Review the good and outstanding letters. Discuss: • What makes the outstanding letter more effective?

  10. Good Letters vs. Great Letters Demonstrate that the writer knows the student well Indicate understanding of the letter’s purpose Give specific examples of the student skills and experiences relevant to the opportunity • Indicate strong academic performance • List positive qualities of applicant • Make general recommendations

  11. Tips for Obtaining Great Letters

  12. Requesting the Letter What’s wrong with this email?

  13. Tips for Obtaining Great Letters When making a letter of recommendation request, include: • Description of program/job/scholarship • Exact wording of what should be covered in the letter -> skills, qualifications and accomplishments to be highlighted • List of specific, relevant experience: class projects, research, papers and grades for faculty; responsibilities and accomplishments for supervisors • Resume, cover letter or personal statement used to apply • Deadline and specific submission instructions • Name and address of letter recipient

  14. Tips for Obtaining Great Letters

  15. Why faculty may say “No”:

  16. Remember • Ask for a recommendation letter from people who know you and your capabilities, i.e., former employers, teachers, coaches, community or corporate leaders, influential colleagues—people who have known you a long time. Relatives are not a good choice. Three recommendation letters are enough. • Be sure to give them enough time (3-4 weeks, if possible) to write the recommendation letter. • When you talk to them, state your goals and suggest what they might write to help you achieve those goals. Coach them to be specific; general praise is a waste of space. Don't be shy. A recommendation letter is a sales letter to sell you. Now is the time to brag! • Follow up your request for a recommendation letter by writing a review of your conversation. Give suggestions for your recommendation letter. You may need to put words in their mouths. When you send them the follow-up letter, be sure to include a self-addressed, stamped envelope. Then, feel free to contact them in a couple of weeks to confirm that they are aware of your deadlines. • Once you receive your recommendation letter, send a thank-you note.Tell them about your success and how they helped you.

  17. Why students might not ask: • The student feels uncomfortable asking the professor (this is especially true for students of color compared to their white counterparts) • They don’t want to inconvenience the professor; don’t feel “worthy” to ask; culturally you don’t ask because it wasn’t something that was modeled, encouraged or supported • What else…

  18. How to Build Networking Relationships with Faculty

  19. What stops you?

  20. How to Build Networking Relationships with Faculty

  21. Continue

  22. Tips for Networking • Seek out faculty with similar interest • Seek out faculty with areas in which you would like additional experience/knowledge • Read faculty bios on website, social media (i.e. linkedin, IG, twitter, etc.) • Ask about research opportunities, apprenticeship, mentorship, projects, etc.

  23. Closing

  24. Questions?

  25. Thank you! Allen Lipscomb, PsyD, MSW, LCSW Assistant Professor Department of Social Work College of Social and Behavioral Sciences Allen.Lipscomb@csun.edu

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